Donuimun Museum Village (돈의문박물관마을) - Area information - Korea travel information

Donuimun Museum Village (돈의문박물관마을)

Donuimun Museum Village (돈의문박물관마을)

8.2Km    2024-07-22

14-3 Songwol-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul

Donuimun Museum Village is a historical and cultural space situated in the city center reborn through Seoul-style urban generation while still maintaining its historical value as the first village within the western gate of Hanyangdoseong as well as the lives and memories from the city's modern and contemporary era.

Together with the neighboring area surrounding Gyonam-dong, Jongno-gu, Donuimun Museum Village was selected for inclusion in the "Donuimun New Town" in 2003 for which all of the existing buildings were to be torn down to construct a neighborhood park. But the city of Seoul had another plan in mind; it wanted to maintain this small village, where the old lives and memories are still well-preserved, as a village museum to not only spread the historical significance of Saemunan Village, the first neighborhood within the western gate of Hanyangdoseong (the Seoul City Wall) but also establish the village as a historical and cultural asset for all Seoul citizens. The village was remodeled while keeping the buildings as untouched as possible and, in a few sites where houses had been torn down, broad yards were created. As a result, the warm and affectionate appearance of the village including modern structures, urban-style hanok, and streets with 100 years of history still remain today in their original places to be reborn as a place of new culture enjoyed and experienced by citizens.

Today, Donuimun Museum Village welcomes visitors with a new concept, "100 Years of Seoul, Time Travel Playground in the City." The village has undergone a significant overhaul to fill itself with "participation-style" spaces and contents where exhibits, experience sessions, performances, and marketplaces are held year-round while keeping 40 or so existing buildings intact in order to solidify its identity as a "living museum village," which is the original intention behind the village's creation.

Munjeong-dong Rodeo Street (문정동 로데오거리)

Munjeong-dong Rodeo Street (문정동 로데오거리)

8.2Km    2025-03-29

10, Dongnam-ro 4-gil, Songpa-gu, Seoul
+82-2-400-1633

Munjeong-dong Rodeo Street is a large shopping district containing over 200 brand-name discount stores. The street is T-shaped, with a 1-kilometer-long main street connected to a 400-meter-long alley, and the Munjeong 1-dong Resident Center located at the center. For shoppers’ convenience, there is a public parking lot (if visitors purchase goods at Rodeo Street, they can park here for free) and a parking lot for foreign tourists only (free of charge). Munjeong-dong Rodeo Street is one of Korea’s major shopping streets with customers ranging from teenagers to adults, since discount stores stocking sports wear, casual wear, shoes, men’s and ladies’ suits, and golf wear are all located on this street. Moreover, this is a great place to find deals on famous brands, at prices lower than at a department store. On some items you can get discounts of up to 70-80%.

Since most of the goods are stock from previous seasons, it might be better to purchase the more classic styles rather than the trendy fashions. In some cases, the goods might have been slightly crumpled or stained during the transfer from warehouse storage, but taking them to the dry-cleaners should fix most problems. However you should be careful when looking at the sewing quality, and check for missing buttons.

One more thing to bear in mind is the shopping season. Even discount stores have periods when stock runs low. The best time to shop is immediately after the stores in Rodeo Street restock their merchandise. This is done at about the same time as department stores. There is also an enormous variety of goods to choose from during the Rodeo Festivals in May and September. The purchased goods are exchangeable but non-refundable, so check the quality of the products carefully before purchasing.

In addition, Munjeong-dong Rodeo Street has a wide selection of restaurants and entertainment facilities. There are a number of pizza places, coffee shops, and food courts, as well as internet cafes and game rooms in the alleys behind the stores. Visitors can also relax in the surrounding parks. There’s a park with a 600-year-old zelkova tree right behind the Munjeong 1-dong Resident Center. Munjeong Rodeo Street is not just a shopping district; it’s a cultural area. The ‘Munjeong-dong Cultural Festival’ takes place every year in May, and the ‘Munjeong-dong Rodeo Festival’ takes place in May every other year. During these festivals, visitors can watch traditional Korean performances, traditional wedding ceremonies, international fashion parades, hip-hop dancing, and more. A charity sale is held on weekends and national holidays on the open-air stage of the Munjeong 1-dong Resident Center, and merchandise is sold for even bigger discounts.

Cheongsongsan Ojingeo (청송산오징어)

Cheongsongsan Ojingeo (청송산오징어)

8.2Km    2021-03-29

8, Namhyeon 1-gil, Gwanak-gu, Seoul
+82-2-584-5286

It's a great place to hold group dining and group meetings. The best menu at this restaurant is sliced raw squid. This Korean dishes restaurant is located in Gwanak-gu, Seoul.

Daraenamu Tree in Changdeokgung Palace (창덕궁 다래나무)

Daraenamu Tree in Changdeokgung Palace (창덕궁 다래나무)

8.2Km    2025-01-13

99, Yulgok-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul
+82-2-3668-2300

Daraenamu Tree in Changdeokgung Palace is estimated to be 600 years old, meaning it had likely been planted before the palace was built. The tree stands 19m in x_height, and has six separate trunks sprawling in all directions. It is the biggest and the oldest in Korea. It is designated and protected as a National Natural Monument.

Seoul Gyeonggyojang House (서울 경교장)

Seoul Gyeonggyojang House (서울 경교장)

8.2Km    2021-09-15

29, Saemunan-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul
+82-2-735-2038

Gyeonggyojang House, a designated Historic Site, was the location of the provisional government and the place where Baekbeom Kim Koo passed away. Seoul reproduced the historical site, Gyeonggyojang House, to use the area as an educational site. Also, the house exhibits the history of the provisional government in order to see the history more clearly.

Restoration work included the demolition of the interior that was changed when the building was turned into a hospital facility and embassy after Kim Koo passed away in 1949. During the work, the remaining parts were maintained with the utmost care. Reconstructed parts were based on the building's floor plan written in Chosun and Architecture (8th edition in 1938). Visitors can see various contents related to the Korean Provisional Government history through relics, video, and information searching corners.

Kolon Sport - Munjeong Branch [Tax Refund Shop] (코오롱 스포츠 문정 [사후면세점])

Kolon Sport - Munjeong Branch [Tax Refund Shop] (코오롱 스포츠 문정 [사후면세점])

8.2Km    2024-04-18

Chukbok Bldg., 128, Dongnam-ro, Songpa-gu, Seoul

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Kolon Sport - Munjeong Branch (코오롱스포츠 (문정직영점))

Kolon Sport - Munjeong Branch (코오롱스포츠 (문정직영점))

8.2Km    2020-04-14

128, Dongnam-ro, Songpa-gu, Seoul
+82-2-402-1594

Kolon Sport Munjeong Branch is a three-story large-scale direct store that sells outdoor and camping goods. It is conveniently located near Police Hospital Station on Seoul Subway Line 3 and or Munjeong Station on Seoul Subway Line 8.

Kukje Gallery (국제갤러리)

Kukje Gallery (국제갤러리)

8.2Km    2021-07-29

54, Samcheong-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul
+82-2-735-8449

The Kukje Galley has been committed to presenting the work of significant Korean and international contemporary artists to the public since 1982. The gallery has established itself as a leading venue for international exhibits such as Helen Frankenthaler, Sam Francis, Jim Dine, Frank Stella, Robert Mangold, Anthony Caro, Cy Twombly, Edward Ruscha, Anselm Kiefer, Joseph Beuys, and Bill Viola, attracting enthusiastic responses from both the public and the media.

The gallery has placed emphasis on collaborations between artists, galleries, and art dealers around the world and nurturing upcoming artists by sponsoring their artwork and giving them international exposure.

The Restaurant (더레스토랑)

The Restaurant (더레스토랑)

8.2Km    2021-03-27

54, Samcheong-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul
+82-2-735-8441

It is a gallery-like restaurant where you can appreciate paintings drawn by famous artists. The best menu at this restaurant is spaghetti. This Western dishes restaurant is located in Jongno-gu, Seoul.

Hwanggeum Kongbat (황금콩밭)

Hwanggeum Kongbat (황금콩밭)

8.3Km    2023-10-10

9 Mapo-daero 16-gil, Mapo-gu, Seoul

Hwanggeum Kongbat specializes in bean curd, using 100% Korean-grown soybeans and salt to make their bean curd fresh daily. The restaurant is famous for their method of making a bean curd that is smooth and maintains the nutty yet sweet flavor of the soybeans.